With less than 24 hours to go until Microsoft takes the covers off Windows Phone 8 once and for all, the company has released a companion app in the Windows Store that’ll work in tandem with the new devices. The Windows Phone app works on both Windows 8 and RT devices like the recently-released Surface and replaces much of the functionality found in the Zune desktop client; it’ll let you copy music, photos, and other media to and from each device, among other features.

Details of the Windows Phone companion app were leaked to The Verge nearly two months ago. At that time, we heard that the app would automatically install to your computer upon connecting a Windows Phone 8 device, but we’re unable to check this without having one of the new phones in hand. However, we can confirm that it doesn’t work with handsets running Windows Phone 7. You won’t be able to do very much with the app right now, then, but you can check it out anyway by downloading from the Windows Store.

Each day of Journey into Healing combines daily sessions of experiential learning, interactive sessions, lectures, and group activities, offering unique opportunities to interact with like-minded individuals from around the world. In addition, Journey into Healing includes:

Instruction in Primordial Sound Meditation and daily group meditations

Morning and evening Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga classes (all levels)

The science of Ayurveda and a mind-body perspective on health and disease

The role of emotions and the mind in health and wellbeing

CME credits for physicians and other health care practitioners

Learn how to enhance your health, balance, and wellbeing at Journey into Healing!

Who Will Benefit?

Whether you’re interested in transforming your own health or want to learn the latest in mind-body medicine to help your patients, Journey into Healing will help you create a lifestyle that supports your deepest intentions to become more vibrant, healthy, and alive – at any age. Each day you will gain practical tools and understanding to make the most conscious healing choices.

Chopra Center founders Drs. Deepak Chopra and David Simon originally created Journey into Healing to share their explorations and findings with like-minded health care providers and anyone interested in their own health. As the field of mind-body medicine advances, Journey into Healing continues to evolve.

Journey into Healing includes a special emphasis on Ayurveda, the natural healing system that developed in ancient India. The core principles of Ayurveda underlie many mind-body healing approaches and will be explored in depth.

This dynamic and interactive course offers the latest cutting-edge information and practical advice for incorporating this knowledge into any practice or lifestyle. If you’ve ever asked, “What more can I do for my patients?” or “What more can I do for myself?” Journey into Healing is for you.

Important note: Journey into Healing is a prerequisite for those seeking to become Chopra Center certified instructors.

Even as a child I would often scrunch up my face, collecting a whole lot of tension in those wrinkles. My mother would always be reminding me to relax. Iwould try for a while to control my facial muscles and keep them relaxed – without success. It wasn’t until my first visit to the beautician for a full facial that Ifelt the tension beginning to melt away as she gently massaged it out of my facial muscles. After that massage, I felt as good as new again. Later, during yogaclasses, I could hardly wait to do the exercises for skin stimulation and facial relaxation; so when I found out there was finally a form of facial yoga available inmy country too (I live in

Slovenia), I made up my mind to enroll right away……Only to find that here there was no soothing relaxation while pulling funny faces accompanied by peaceful music. Instead, we were all subjected to a regimenof very specific (and quite difficult) exercises. Even hours after the first workshop I could still feel an ache in every muscle I had taxed more than it was usedto. Some of the ladies even complained of the kind of aching muscles only athletes can get after training. This is because, as I soon found,Yoga Facial Toning(YFT)is more like fitness training than yoga, as it works on the principle of encouraging the facial muscles to work by creating resistance. This not only firmsthe muscles, but also stimulates the glands, detoxifies the body, and revitalizes the internal organs. Although it can be strenuous, on the whole it has a relaxingeffect. The system was developed byRose Tran, an American teacher and certified yoga instructor, based on years of research and close cooperation with themedical profession, facial therapy specialists, plastic surgeons, and experts in the field of beauty alterations. There are to date only seven licensed instructorsfor the YFT method in the world, and Savina A. Ritter is at the moment the only one working in Europe.These exercises are designed to work your facial muscles, firming, smoothing, lifting and rejuvenating your face.Yoga Facial Toningis especially designed tostimulate the 57 (fifty-seven) muscles, which construct our face and neck. Thisyoga for the faceis a simple, non-invasive way to erase fine lines andwrinkles, reduce sagging skin and restore a radiant, youthful look to your face and complexion.The program is easy to learn and works for anyone who uses it, regardless of age, fitness level, gender or ethnicity. These highly specialized exercises lift, firmand tone all 57 muscles of the face and neck, literally turning back the hands of time and restoring a firm, smooth, glowing facial appearance.I wasn’t really in such a good phase of my life when I attended the course and rarely did my homework, although our instructor recommended we do most ofthe exercises we learned each week on a daily basis. Already during the course, I found I had begun to master the muscles in my forehead, which was startingto become less wrinkled. Still, when I saw the “before & after” photos, I was delighted. I had managed to bring back firmness and tone to a number of themuscles in my face, my skin was more radiant and my face looked just a little bit slimmer – and more attractive.Visibly turning back the clock:“Usingthe YFT system, this can be done without plastic surgery, simply through exercising (literally, not just figuratively) a bit of love for ourselves, with theaim of enhancing our inner beauty and letting it shine outwards. These exercises are empowering – particularly for women, placing at our fingertips the abilityto determine the image we show to the world, enabling us to take our fate into our own hands (as it should be), without fear of what the years may bring,” saysSavina, adding that there are many techniques and programs to help us relax our bodies, but if we don’t include the face as well, we risk all the tension we’veexcised gathering up there. “I’ve noticed that although there are many more people who are physically active or into sports these days, their facial muscles arenonetheless in a poor state.”The program alsostimulates and balances the functioning of the glands. “This precise exercise program has a direct and beneficial influence on thefunctioning of our glands, which plays a key role in the rejuvenation process, helps us to maintain our vitality and energy levels and ensures that our bodies arein optimum working condition. As an added bonus, Rose’s program also helps our bodies to detox and by stimulating both brain hemispheres at the same time,puts us in touch with our inner selves, enabling us to develop a higher level of awareness,” says our instructor – a fact that I can only confirm in view of theway I feel after every exercise session.An alternative to cosmetic surgery. A face-lift shortens the muscles to give lift to the face, and pulls the skin tight tolessen lines and wrinkles, but does nothing to tone and firm the muscles to give a lasting result.During the time when a muscle is “frozen” (as for example following a Botox treatment), the flow of nourishment is impeded, which only weakens it further.Nor do faces that have undergone such treatment look natural. The facial mimicry and even the sensation in the face are altered, whereas the only “side effect”of practicing Yoga Facial Toning is a firm, smooth, glowing facial appearance. When proper facial exercise involving the scalp, face and neck is started at anyage, the muscles still have the ability to be restored to good tone and give a firmer, younger appearance.“There are even exercises for fuller lips and nose-lifts, which, at the same time, enhance your entire well-being,” says Savina regarding the difference betweenthe invasive and the natural techniques, adding: “One of the greatest effects thatYoga Facial Toninghas is a deeper connection with your inner strength andpower-source.”Then there is also the price difference to consider: A six-week course (including a personalized approach, a handbook, before & after photographs and thecomposition of an individual follow-up exercise regime for each participant) will cost you only €250, which is less than a single Botox treatment, not to mentionsurgical face-lifts, which are in the range of from €3,000 to €5,000, at best.Even if you’re determined to go through with surgery, we’d still recommend doing the course beforehand, as the exercises will help increase the flow of bloodand nutrients to your muscles, ensuring less complications and a smaller chance of any of the procedures needing repetition. The exercises will also enhancepost-operative recovery and lessen the likelihood of you ending up with even more sagging skin than before.

The difference between an artificially “stretched” and “filled” face and a naturally glowing, healthy one is noticeable.

Who is theYoga Facial Toningprogram suitable for? The all-round beneficial effects of the program make it suitable for anyone, particularly those over theage of 30. It is highly recommended for everyone who has just completed a diet or is dieting with the aim of losing weight, as often after weight-loss, the facecan look tired, wilted and even ten years older – unless we give it the exercise it needs.YFTis also very beneficial as part of a post-natal care regimen, as wellas for all who have noticed signs of aging in their face and for all who would like to prevent such signs from showing up in the first place. The exercises alsohelp relieve problems with the jaw and facial nerves and muscles, and have even been used successfully (under clinical conditions) for rehabilitation followingstrokes or accidents. “I would also recommend them to all who want to increase their energy levels, who suffer from hormonal imbalances, skin diseases, andalso those who have undergone cosmetic surgery as well as those who occasionally or regularly have Botox treatments. Particularly for the latter, I feel, suchexercises are vitally important,” says Savina.Yoga Facial Toningexercises are a completely natural and health-enhancing method of rejuvenating your face. Not only does it give you more youthful looks,glowing skin and firmer facial muscles, but it also revitalizes your body from the inside out.How much time do these exercises require per day in order to achieve visible results and enviably youthful looks?Our instructor Savina recommends you exercise each day, or at least five times a week for the first three months, in order to strengthen the muscles andachieve the optimum effect. “After that, only 10, ideally 15 minutes of consistent exercise a day are enough to maintain this optimum state. I teach all mycourse participants in such a way that the exercises easily become a part of their everyday routine – just like brushing your teeth. Upon waking, you do twominutes’ worth of exercises, then the same upon applying your day-cream, then two more minutes while working at the computer, five more while watchingTV and a few minutes every evening when you clean your face.” (Of course, you’re free to do them all at once, too, if you prefer.) After the first threemonths, you only need to do them three times a week – or as the need arises. And another great tip: If you’re set for a hot date in the evening, take a couple ofminutes to do the Face Lifting exercise before you go out, and I assure you, you’ll look and feel positively radiant all evening!Rose Tran, a certified Hatha yoga instructor, created theYoga Facial Toningsystem and began teaching classes in 2002. Since then, men and women of allages rave about their improved appearance and the confidence their youthful looks give them. Through her study, focus, and passion, Rose developed acomprehensive facial exercise program that works to help reverse your face’s aging process. Pursuing her vision, Rose conducted extensive research with localand international physicians in the emerging fields of facial exercise programs, non-surgical face lifts, and reconstructive plastic surgery.This program includes a comprehensive group of easy to learn exercises which may also be tailored to individual appearance goals. The Yoga Facial Toningprogramalso provides information on improving facial circulation, skin care and nutrition – for an improved appearance and confidence.

YOGA FACIAL TONING–ELLE MAGAZINE APRIL 2009written by Petra Kocjančič

Even as a child I would often scrunch up my face, collecting a whole lot of tension in those wrinkles. My mother would always be reminding me to relax. Iwould try for a while to control my facial muscles and keep them relaxed – without success. It wasn’t until my first visit to the beautician for a full facial that Ifelt the tension beginning to melt away as she gently massaged it out of my facial muscles. After that massage, I felt as good as new again. Later, during yogaclasses, I could hardly wait to do the exercises for skin stimulation and facial relaxation; so when I found out there was finally a form of facial yoga available inmy country too (I live in

Slovenia), I made up my mind to enroll right away……Only to find that here there was no soothing relaxation while pulling funny faces accompanied by peaceful music. Instead, we were all subjected to a regimenof very specific (and quite difficult) exercises. Even hours after the first workshop I could still feel an ache in every muscle I had taxed more than it was usedto. Some of the ladies even complained of the kind of aching muscles only athletes can get after training. This is because, as I soon found,Yoga Facial Toning(YFT)is more like fitness training than yoga, as it works on the principle of encouraging the facial muscles to work by creating resistance. This not only firmsthe muscles, but also stimulates the glands, detoxifies the body, and revitalizes the internal organs. Although it can be strenuous, on the whole it has a relaxingeffect. The system was developed byRose Tran, an American teacher and certified yoga instructor, based on years of research and close cooperation with themedical profession, facial therapy specialists, plastic surgeons, and experts in the field of beauty alterations. There are to date only seven licensed instructorsfor the YFT method in the world, and Savina A. Ritter is at the moment the only one working in Europe.These exercises are designed to work your facial muscles, firming, smoothing, lifting and rejuvenating your face.Yoga Facial Toningis especially designed tostimulate the 57 (fifty-seven) muscles, which construct our face and neck. Thisyoga for the faceis a simple, non-invasive way to erase fine lines andwrinkles, reduce sagging skin and restore a radiant, youthful look to your face and complexion.The program is easy to learn and works for anyone who uses it, regardless of age, fitness level, gender or ethnicity. These highly specialized exercises lift, firmand tone all 57 muscles of the face and neck, literally turning back the hands of time and restoring a firm, smooth, glowing facial appearance.I wasn’t really in such a good phase of my life when I attended the course and rarely did my homework, although our instructor recommended we do most ofthe exercises we learned each week on a daily basis. Already during the course, I found I had begun to master the muscles in my forehead, which was startingto become less wrinkled. Still, when I saw the “before & after” photos, I was delighted. I had managed to bring back firmness and tone to a number of themuscles in my face, my skin was more radiant and my face looked just a little bit slimmer – and more attractive.Visibly turning back the clock:“Usingthe YFT system, this can be done without plastic surgery, simply through exercising (literally, not just figuratively) a bit of love for ourselves, with theaim of enhancing our inner beauty and letting it shine outwards. These exercises are empowering – particularly for women, placing at our fingertips the abilityto determine the image we show to the world, enabling us to take our fate into our own hands (as it should be), without fear of what the years may bring,” saysSavina, adding that there are many techniques and programs to help us relax our bodies, but if we don’t include the face as well, we risk all the tension we’veexcised gathering up there. “I’ve noticed that although there are many more people who are physically active or into sports these days, their facial muscles arenonetheless in a poor state.”The program alsostimulates and balances the functioning of the glands. “This precise exercise program has a direct and beneficial influence on thefunctioning of our glands, which plays a key role in the rejuvenation process, helps us to maintain our vitality and energy levels and ensures that our bodies arein optimum working condition. As an added bonus, Rose’s program also helps our bodies to detox and by stimulating both brain hemispheres at the same time,puts us in touch with our inner selves, enabling us to develop a higher level of awareness,” says our instructor – a fact that I can only confirm in view of theway I feel after every exercise session.An alternative to cosmetic surgery. A face-lift shortens the muscles to give lift to the face, and pulls the skin tight tolessen lines and wrinkles, but does nothing to tone and firm the muscles to give a lasting result.During the time when a muscle is “frozen” (as for example following a Botox treatment), the flow of nourishment is impeded, which only weakens it further.Nor do faces that have undergone such treatment look natural. The facial mimicry and even the sensation in the face are altered, whereas the only “side effect”of practicing Yoga Facial Toning is a firm, smooth, glowing facial appearance. When proper facial exercise involving the scalp, face and neck is started at anyage, the muscles still have the ability to be restored to good tone and give a firmer, younger appearance.“There are even exercises for fuller lips and nose-lifts, which, at the same time, enhance your entire well-being,” says Savina regarding the difference betweenthe invasive and the natural techniques, adding: “One of the greatest effects thatYoga Facial Toninghas is a deeper connection with your inner strength andpower-source.”Then there is also the price difference to consider: A six-week course (including a personalized approach, a handbook, before & after photographs and thecomposition of an individual follow-up exercise regime for each participant) will cost you only €250, which is less than a single Botox treatment, not to mentionsurgical face-lifts, which are in the range of from €3,000 to €5,000, at best.Even if you’re determined to go through with surgery, we’d still recommend doing the course beforehand, as the exercises will help increase the flow of bloodand nutrients to your muscles, ensuring less complications and a smaller chance of any of the procedures needing repetition. The exercises will also enhancepost-operative recovery and lessen the likelihood of you ending up with even more sagging skin than before.

The difference between an artificially “stretched” and “filled” face and a naturally glowing, healthy one is noticeable.

Who is theYoga Facial Toningprogram suitable for? The all-round beneficial effects of the program make it suitable for anyone, particularly those over theage of 30. It is highly recommended for everyone who has just completed a diet or is dieting with the aim of losing weight, as often after weight-loss, the facecan look tired, wilted and even ten years older – unless we give it the exercise it needs.YFTis also very beneficial as part of a post-natal care regimen, as wellas for all who have noticed signs of aging in their face and for all who would like to prevent such signs from showing up in the first place. The exercises alsohelp relieve problems with the jaw and facial nerves and muscles, and have even been used successfully (under clinical conditions) for rehabilitation followingstrokes or accidents. “I would also recommend them to all who want to increase their energy levels, who suffer from hormonal imbalances, skin diseases, andalso those who have undergone cosmetic surgery as well as those who occasionally or regularly have Botox treatments. Particularly for the latter, I feel, suchexercises are vitally important,” says Savina.Yoga Facial Toningexercises are a completely natural and health-enhancing method of rejuvenating your face. Not only does it give you more youthful looks,glowing skin and firmer facial muscles, but it also revitalizes your body from the inside out.How much time do these exercises require per day in order to achieve visible results and enviably youthful looks?Our instructor Savina recommends you exercise each day, or at least five times a week for the first three months, in order to strengthen the muscles andachieve the optimum effect. “After that, only 10, ideally 15 minutes of consistent exercise a day are enough to maintain this optimum state. I teach all mycourse participants in such a way that the exercises easily become a part of their everyday routine – just like brushing your teeth. Upon waking, you do twominutes’ worth of exercises, then the same upon applying your day-cream, then two more minutes while working at the computer, five more while watchingTV and a few minutes every evening when you clean your face.” (Of course, you’re free to do them all at once, too, if you prefer.) After the first threemonths, you only need to do them three times a week – or as the need arises. And another great tip: If you’re set for a hot date in the evening, take a couple ofminutes to do the Face Lifting exercise before you go out, and I assure you, you’ll look and feel positively radiant all evening!Rose Tran, a certified Hatha yoga instructor, created theYoga Facial Toningsystem and began teaching classes in 2002. Since then, men and women of allages rave about their improved appearance and the confidence their youthful looks give them. Through her study, focus, and passion, Rose developed acomprehensive facial exercise program that works to help reverse your face’s aging process. Pursuing her vision, Rose conducted extensive research with localand international physicians in the emerging fields of facial exercise programs, non-surgical face lifts, and reconstructive plastic surgery.This program includes a comprehensive group of easy to learn exercises which may also be tailored to individual appearance goals. The Yoga Facial Toningprogramalso provides information on improving facial circulation, skin care and nutrition – for an improved appearance and confidence.

YOGA FACIAL TONING–ELLE MAGAZINE APRIL 2009written by Petra Kocjančič

Even as a child I would often scrunch up my face, collecting a whole lot of tension in those wrinkles. My mother would always be reminding me to relax. Iwould try for a while to control my facial muscles and keep them relaxed – without success. It wasn’t until my first visit to the beautician for a full facial that Ifelt the tension beginning to melt away as she gently massaged it out of my facial muscles. After that massage, I felt as good as new again. Later, during yogaclasses, I could hardly wait to do the exercises for skin stimulation and facial relaxation; so when I found out there was finally a form of facial yoga available inmy country too (I live in

Slovenia), I made up my mind to enroll right away……Only to find that here there was no soothing relaxation while pulling funny faces accompanied by peaceful music. Instead, we were all subjected to a regimenof very specific (and quite difficult) exercises. Even hours after the first workshop I could still feel an ache in every muscle I had taxed more than it was usedto. Some of the ladies even complained of the kind of aching muscles only athletes can get after training. This is because, as I soon found,Yoga Facial Toning(YFT)is more like fitness training than yoga, as it works on the principle of encouraging the facial muscles to work by creating resistance. This not only firmsthe muscles, but also stimulates the glands, detoxifies the body, and revitalizes the internal organs. Although it can be strenuous, on the whole it has a relaxingeffect. The system was developed byRose Tran, an American teacher and certified yoga instructor, based on years of research and close cooperation with themedical profession, facial therapy specialists, plastic surgeons, and experts in the field of beauty alterations. There are to date only seven licensed instructorsfor the YFT method in the world, and Savina A. Ritter is at the moment the only one working in Europe.These exercises are designed to work your facial muscles, firming, smoothing, lifting and rejuvenating your face.Yoga Facial Toningis especially designed tostimulate the 57 (fifty-seven) muscles, which construct our face and neck. Thisyoga for the faceis a simple, non-invasive way to erase fine lines andwrinkles, reduce sagging skin and restore a radiant, youthful look to your face and complexion.The program is easy to learn and works for anyone who uses it, regardless of age, fitness level, gender or ethnicity. These highly specialized exercises lift, firmand tone all 57 muscles of the face and neck, literally turning back the hands of time and restoring a firm, smooth, glowing facial appearance.I wasn’t really in such a good phase of my life when I attended the course and rarely did my homework, although our instructor recommended we do most ofthe exercises we learned each week on a daily basis. Already during the course, I found I had begun to master the muscles in my forehead, which was startingto become less wrinkled. Still, when I saw the “before & after” photos, I was delighted. I had managed to bring back firmness and tone to a number of themuscles in my face, my skin was more radiant and my face looked just a little bit slimmer – and more attractive.Visibly turning back the clock:“Usingthe YFT system, this can be done without plastic surgery, simply through exercising (literally, not just figuratively) a bit of love for ourselves, with theaim of enhancing our inner beauty and letting it shine outwards. These exercises are empowering – particularly for women, placing at our fingertips the abilityto determine the image we show to the world, enabling us to take our fate into our own hands (as it should be), without fear of what the years may bring,” saysSavina, adding that there are many techniques and programs to help us relax our bodies, but if we don’t include the face as well, we risk all the tension we’veexcised gathering up there. “I’ve noticed that although there are many more people who are physically active or into sports these days, their facial muscles arenonetheless in a poor state.”The program alsostimulates and balances the functioning of the glands. “This precise exercise program has a direct and beneficial influence on thefunctioning of our glands, which plays a key role in the rejuvenation process, helps us to maintain our vitality and energy levels and ensures that our bodies arein optimum working condition. As an added bonus, Rose’s program also helps our bodies to detox and by stimulating both brain hemispheres at the same time,puts us in touch with our inner selves, enabling us to develop a higher level of awareness,” says our instructor – a fact that I can only confirm in view of theway I feel after every exercise session.An alternative to cosmetic surgery. A face-lift shortens the muscles to give lift to the face, and pulls the skin tight tolessen lines and wrinkles, but does nothing to tone and firm the muscles to give a lasting result.During the time when a muscle is “frozen” (as for example following a Botox treatment), the flow of nourishment is impeded, which only weakens it further.Nor do faces that have undergone such treatment look natural. The facial mimicry and even the sensation in the face are altered, whereas the only “side effect”of practicing Yoga Facial Toning is a firm, smooth, glowing facial appearance. When proper facial exercise involving the scalp, face and neck is started at anyage, the muscles still have the ability to be restored to good tone and give a firmer, younger appearance.“There are even exercises for fuller lips and nose-lifts, which, at the same time, enhance your entire well-being,” says Savina regarding the difference betweenthe invasive and the natural techniques, adding: “One of the greatest effects thatYoga Facial Toninghas is a deeper connection with your inner strength andpower-source.”Then there is also the price difference to consider: A six-week course (including a personalized approach, a handbook, before & after photographs and thecomposition of an individual follow-up exercise regime for each participant) will cost you only €250, which is less than a single Botox treatment, not to mentionsurgical face-lifts, which are in the range of from €3,000 to €5,000, at best.Even if you’re determined to go through with surgery, we’d still recommend doing the course beforehand, as the exercises will help increase the flow of bloodand nutrients to your muscles, ensuring less complications and a smaller chance of any of the procedures needing repetition. The exercises will also enhancepost-operative recovery and lessen the likelihood of you ending up with even more sagging skin than before.

The difference between an artificially “stretched” and “filled” face and a naturally glowing, healthy one is noticeable.

Who is theYoga Facial Toningprogram suitable for? The all-round beneficial effects of the program make it suitable for anyone, particularly those over theage of 30. It is highly recommended for everyone who has just completed a diet or is dieting with the aim of losing weight, as often after weight-loss, the facecan look tired, wilted and even ten years older – unless we give it the exercise it needs.YFTis also very beneficial as part of a post-natal care regimen, as wellas for all who have noticed signs of aging in their face and for all who would like to prevent such signs from showing up in the first place. The exercises alsohelp relieve problems with the jaw and facial nerves and muscles, and have even been used successfully (under clinical conditions) for rehabilitation followingstrokes or accidents. “I would also recommend them to all who want to increase their energy levels, who suffer from hormonal imbalances, skin diseases, andalso those who have undergone cosmetic surgery as well as those who occasionally or regularly have Botox treatments. Particularly for the latter, I feel, suchexercises are vitally important,” says Savina.Yoga Facial Toningexercises are a completely natural and health-enhancing method of rejuvenating your face. Not only does it give you more youthful looks,glowing skin and firmer facial muscles, but it also revitalizes your body from the inside out.How much time do these exercises require per day in order to achieve visible results and enviably youthful looks?Our instructor Savina recommends you exercise each day, or at least five times a week for the first three months, in order to strengthen the muscles andachieve the optimum effect. “After that, only 10, ideally 15 minutes of consistent exercise a day are enough to maintain this optimum state. I teach all mycourse participants in such a way that the exercises easily become a part of their everyday routine – just like brushing your teeth. Upon waking, you do twominutes’ worth of exercises, then the same upon applying your day-cream, then two more minutes while working at the computer, five more while watchingTV and a few minutes every evening when you clean your face.” (Of course, you’re free to do them all at once, too, if you prefer.) After the first threemonths, you only need to do them three times a week – or as the need arises. And another great tip: If you’re set for a hot date in the evening, take a couple ofminutes to do the Face Lifting exercise before you go out, and I assure you, you’ll look and feel positively radiant all evening!Rose Tran, a certified Hatha yoga instructor, created theYoga Facial Toningsystem and began teaching classes in 2002. Since then, men and women of allages rave about their improved appearance and the confidence their youthful looks give them. Through her study, focus, and passion, Rose developed acomprehensive facial exercise program that works to help reverse your face’s aging process. Pursuing her vision, Rose conducted extensive research with localand international physicians in the emerging fields of facial exercise programs, non-surgical face lifts, and reconstructive plastic surgery.This program includes a comprehensive group of easy to learn exercises which may also be tailored to individual appearance goals. The Yoga Facial Toningprogramalso provides information on improving facial circulation, skin care and nutrition – for an improved appearance and confidence.

YOGA FACIAL TONING–ELLE MAGAZINE APRIL 2009written by Petra Kocjančič

Even as a child I would often scrunch up my face, collecting a whole lot of tension in those wrinkles. My mother would always be reminding me to relax. Iwould try for a while to control my facial muscles and keep them relaxed – without success. It wasn’t until my first visit to the beautician for a full facial that Ifelt the tension beginning to melt away as she gently massaged it out of my facial muscles. After that massage, I felt as good as new again. Later, during yogaclasses, I could hardly wait to do the exercises for skin stimulation and facial relaxation; so when I found out there was finally a form of facial yoga available inmy country too (I live in

Slovenia), I made up my mind to enroll right away……Only to find that here there was no soothing relaxation while pulling funny faces accompanied by peaceful music. Instead, we were all subjected to a regimenof very specific (and quite difficult) exercises. Even hours after the first workshop I could still feel an ache in every muscle I had taxed more than it was usedto. Some of the ladies even complained of the kind of aching muscles only athletes can get after training. This is because, as I soon found,Yoga Facial Toning(YFT)is more like fitness training than yoga, as it works on the principle of encouraging the facial muscles to work by creating resistance. This not only firmsthe muscles, but also stimulates the glands, detoxifies the body, and revitalizes the internal organs. Although it can be strenuous, on the whole it has a relaxingeffect. The system was developed byRose Tran, an American teacher and certified yoga instructor, based on years of research and close cooperation with themedical profession, facial therapy specialists, plastic surgeons, and experts in the field of beauty alterations. There are to date only seven licensed instructorsfor the YFT method in the world, and Savina A. Ritter is at the moment the only one working in Europe.These exercises are designed to work your facial muscles, firming, smoothing, lifting and rejuvenating your face.Yoga Facial Toningis especially designed tostimulate the 57 (fifty-seven) muscles, which construct our face and neck. Thisyoga for the faceis a simple, non-invasive way to erase fine lines andwrinkles, reduce sagging skin and restore a radiant, youthful look to your face and complexion.The program is easy to learn and works for anyone who uses it, regardless of age, fitness level, gender or ethnicity. These highly specialized exercises lift, firmand tone all 57 muscles of the face and neck, literally turning back the hands of time and restoring a firm, smooth, glowing facial appearance.I wasn’t really in such a good phase of my life when I attended the course and rarely did my homework, although our instructor recommended we do most ofthe exercises we learned each week on a daily basis. Already during the course, I found I had begun to master the muscles in my forehead, which was startingto become less wrinkled. Still, when I saw the “before & after” photos, I was delighted. I had managed to bring back firmness and tone to a number of themuscles in my face, my skin was more radiant and my face looked just a little bit slimmer – and more attractive.Visibly turning back the clock:“Usingthe YFT system, this can be done without plastic surgery, simply through exercising (literally, not just figuratively) a bit of love for ourselves, with theaim of enhancing our inner beauty and letting it shine outwards. These exercises are empowering – particularly for women, placing at our fingertips the abilityto determine the image we show to the world, enabling us to take our fate into our own hands (as it should be), without fear of what the years may bring,” saysSavina, adding that there are many techniques and programs to help us relax our bodies, but if we don’t include the face as well, we risk all the tension we’veexcised gathering up there. “I’ve noticed that although there are many more people who are physically active or into sports these days, their facial muscles arenonetheless in a poor state.”The program alsostimulates and balances the functioning of the glands. “This precise exercise program has a direct and beneficial influence on thefunctioning of our glands, which plays a key role in the rejuvenation process, helps us to maintain our vitality and energy levels and ensures that our bodies arein optimum working condition. As an added bonus, Rose’s program also helps our bodies to detox and by stimulating both brain hemispheres at the same time,puts us in touch with our inner selves, enabling us to develop a higher level of awareness,” says our instructor – a fact that I can only confirm in view of theway I feel after every exercise session.An alternative to cosmetic surgery. A face-lift shortens the muscles to give lift to the face, and pulls the skin tight tolessen lines and wrinkles, but does nothing to tone and firm the muscles to give a lasting result.During the time when a muscle is “frozen” (as for example following a Botox treatment), the flow of nourishment is impeded, which only weakens it further.Nor do faces that have undergone such treatment look natural. The facial mimicry and even the sensation in the face are altered, whereas the only “side effect”of practicing Yoga Facial Toning is a firm, smooth, glowing facial appearance. When proper facial exercise involving the scalp, face and neck is started at anyage, the muscles still have the ability to be restored to good tone and give a firmer, younger appearance.“There are even exercises for fuller lips and nose-lifts, which, at the same time, enhance your entire well-being,” says Savina regarding the difference betweenthe invasive and the natural techniques, adding: “One of the greatest effects thatYoga Facial Toninghas is a deeper connection with your inner strength andpower-source.”Then there is also the price difference to consider: A six-week course (including a personalized approach, a handbook, before & after photographs and thecomposition of an individual follow-up exercise regime for each participant) will cost you only €250, which is less than a single Botox treatment, not to mentionsurgical face-lifts, which are in the range of from €3,000 to €5,000, at best.Even if you’re determined to go through with surgery, we’d still recommend doing the course beforehand, as the exercises will help increase the flow of bloodand nutrients to your muscles, ensuring less complications and a smaller chance of any of the procedures needing repetition. The exercises will also enhancepost-operative recovery and lessen the likelihood of you ending up with even more sagging skin than before.

The difference between an artificially “stretched” and “filled” face and a naturally glowing, healthy one is noticeable.

Who is theYoga Facial Toningprogram suitable for? The all-round beneficial effects of the program make it suitable for anyone, particularly those over theage of 30. It is highly recommended for everyone who has just completed a diet or is dieting with the aim of losing weight, as often after weight-loss, the facecan look tired, wilted and even ten years older – unless we give it the exercise it needs.YFTis also very beneficial as part of a post-natal care regimen, as wellas for all who have noticed signs of aging in their face and for all who would like to prevent such signs from showing up in the first place. The exercises alsohelp relieve problems with the jaw and facial nerves and muscles, and have even been used successfully (under clinical conditions) for rehabilitation followingstrokes or accidents. “I would also recommend them to all who want to increase their energy levels, who suffer from hormonal imbalances, skin diseases, andalso those who have undergone cosmetic surgery as well as those who occasionally or regularly have Botox treatments. Particularly for the latter, I feel, suchexercises are vitally important,” says Savina.Yoga Facial Toningexercises are a completely natural and health-enhancing method of rejuvenating your face. Not only does it give you more youthful looks,glowing skin and firmer facial muscles, but it also revitalizes your body from the inside out.How much time do these exercises require per day in order to achieve visible results and enviably youthful looks?Our instructor Savina recommends you exercise each day, or at least five times a week for the first three months, in order to strengthen the muscles andachieve the optimum effect. “After that, only 10, ideally 15 minutes of consistent exercise a day are enough to maintain this optimum state. I teach all mycourse participants in such a way that the exercises easily become a part of their everyday routine – just like brushing your teeth. Upon waking, you do twominutes’ worth of exercises, then the same upon applying your day-cream, then two more minutes while working at the computer, five more while watchingTV and a few minutes every evening when you clean your face.” (Of course, you’re free to do them all at once, too, if you prefer.) After the first threemonths, you only need to do them three times a week – or as the need arises. And another great tip: If you’re set for a hot date in the evening, take a couple ofminutes to do the Face Lifting exercise before you go out, and I assure you, you’ll look and feel positively radiant all evening!Rose Tran, a certified Hatha yoga instructor, created theYoga Facial Toningsystem and began teaching classes in 2002. Since then, men and women of allages rave about their improved appearance and the confidence their youthful looks give them. Through her study, focus, and passion, Rose developed acomprehensive facial exercise program that works to help reverse your face’s aging process. Pursuing her vision, Rose conducted extensive research with localand international physicians in the emerging fields of facial exercise programs, non-surgical face lifts, and reconstructive plastic surgery.This program includes a comprehensive group of easy to learn exercises which may also be tailored to individual appearance goals. The Yoga Facial Toningprogramalso provides information on improving facial circulation, skin care and nutrition – for an improved appearance and confidence.

Even as a child I would often scrunch up my face, collecting a whole lot of tension in those wrinkles. My mother would always be reminding me to relax. Iwould try for a while to control my facial muscles and keep them relaxed – without success. It wasn’t until my first visit to the beautician for a full facial that Ifelt the tension beginning to melt away as she gently massaged it out of my facial muscles. After that massage, I felt as good as new again. Later, during yogaclasses, I could hardly wait to do the exercises for skin stimulation and facial relaxation; so when I found out there was finally a form of facial yoga available inmy country too (I live in

Slovenia), I made up my mind to enroll right away……Only to find that here there was no soothing relaxation while pulling funny faces accompanied by peaceful music. Instead, we were all subjected to a regimenof very specific (and quite difficult) exercises. Even hours after the first workshop I could still feel an ache in every muscle I had taxed more than it was usedto. Some of the ladies even complained of the kind of aching muscles only athletes can get after training. This is because, as I soon found,Yoga Facial Toning(YFT)is more like fitness training than yoga, as it works on the principle of encouraging the facial muscles to work by creating resistance. This not only firmsthe muscles, but also stimulates the glands, detoxifies the body, and revitalizes the internal organs. Although it can be strenuous, on the whole it has a relaxingeffect. The system was developed byRose Tran, an American teacher and certified yoga instructor, based on years of research and close cooperation with themedical profession, facial therapy specialists, plastic surgeons, and experts in the field of beauty alterations. There are to date only seven licensed instructorsfor the YFT method in the world, and Savina A. Ritter is at the moment the only one working in Europe.These exercises are designed to work your facial muscles, firming, smoothing, lifting and rejuvenating your face.Yoga Facial Toningis especially designed tostimulate the 57 (fifty-seven) muscles, which construct our face and neck. Thisyoga for the faceis a simple, non-invasive way to erase fine lines andwrinkles, reduce sagging skin and restore a radiant, youthful look to your face and complexion.The program is easy to learn and works for anyone who uses it, regardless of age, fitness level, gender or ethnicity. These highly specialized exercises lift, firmand tone all 57 muscles of the face and neck, literally turning back the hands of time and restoring a firm, smooth, glowing facial appearance.I wasn’t really in such a good phase of my life when I attended the course and rarely did my homework, although our instructor recommended we do most ofthe exercises we learned each week on a daily basis. Already during the course, I found I had begun to master the muscles in my forehead, which was startingto become less wrinkled. Still, when I saw the “before & after” photos, I was delighted. I had managed to bring back firmness and tone to a number of themuscles in my face, my skin was more radiant and my face looked just a little bit slimmer – and more attractive.Visibly turning back the clock:“Usingthe YFT system, this can be done without plastic surgery, simply through exercising (literally, not just figuratively) a bit of love for ourselves, with theaim of enhancing our inner beauty and letting it shine outwards. These exercises are empowering – particularly for women, placing at our fingertips the abilityto determine the image we show to the world, enabling us to take our fate into our own hands (as it should be), without fear of what the years may bring,” saysSavina, adding that there are many techniques and programs to help us relax our bodies, but if we don’t include the face as well, we risk all the tension we’veexcised gathering up there. “I’ve noticed that although there are many more people who are physically active or into sports these days, their facial muscles arenonetheless in a poor state.”The program alsostimulates and balances the functioning of the glands. “This precise exercise program has a direct and beneficial influence on thefunctioning of our glands, which plays a key role in the rejuvenation process, helps us to maintain our vitality and energy levels and ensures that our bodies arein optimum working condition. As an added bonus, Rose’s program also helps our bodies to detox and by stimulating both brain hemispheres at the same time,puts us in touch with our inner selves, enabling us to develop a higher level of awareness,” says our instructor – a fact that I can only confirm in view of theway I feel after every exercise session.An alternative to cosmetic surgery. A face-lift shortens the muscles to give lift to the face, and pulls the skin tight tolessen lines and wrinkles, but does nothing to tone and firm the muscles to give a lasting result.During the time when a muscle is “frozen” (as for example following a Botox treatment), the flow of nourishment is impeded, which only weakens it further.Nor do faces that have undergone such treatment look natural. The facial mimicry and even the sensation in the face are altered, whereas the only “side effect”of practicing Yoga Facial Toning is a firm, smooth, glowing facial appearance. When proper facial exercise involving the scalp, face and neck is started at anyage, the muscles still have the ability to be restored to good tone and give a firmer, younger appearance.“There are even exercises for fuller lips and nose-lifts, which, at the same time, enhance your entire well-being,” says Savina regarding the difference betweenthe invasive and the natural techniques, adding: “One of the greatest effects thatYoga Facial Toninghas is a deeper connection with your inner strength andpower-source.”Then there is also the price difference to consider: A six-week course (including a personalized approach, a handbook, before & after photographs and thecomposition of an individual follow-up exercise regime for each participant) will cost you only €250, which is less than a single Botox treatment, not to mentionsurgical face-lifts, which are in the range of from €3,000 to €5,000, at best.Even if you’re determined to go through with surgery, we’d still recommend doing the course beforehand, as the exercises will help increase the flow of bloodand nutrients to your muscles, ensuring less complications and a smaller chance of any of the procedures needing repetition. The exercises will also enhancepost-operative recovery and lessen the likelihood of you ending up with even more sagging skin than before.

The difference between an artificially “stretched” and “filled” face and a naturally glowing, healthy one is noticeable.

Who is theYoga Facial Toningprogram suitable for? The all-round beneficial effects of the program make it suitable for anyone, particularly those over theage of 30. It is highly recommended for everyone who has just completed a diet or is dieting with the aim of losing weight, as often after weight-loss, the facecan look tired, wilted and even ten years older – unless we give it the exercise it needs.YFTis also very beneficial as part of a post-natal care regimen, as wellas for all who have noticed signs of aging in their face and for all who would like to prevent such signs from showing up in the first place. The exercises alsohelp relieve problems with the jaw and facial nerves and muscles, and have even been used successfully (under clinical conditions) for rehabilitation followingstrokes or accidents. “I would also recommend them to all who want to increase their energy levels, who suffer from hormonal imbalances, skin diseases, andalso those who have undergone cosmetic surgery as well as those who occasionally or regularly have Botox treatments. Particularly for the latter, I feel, suchexercises are vitally important,” says Savina.Yoga Facial Toningexercises are a completely natural and health-enhancing method of rejuvenating your face. Not only does it give you more youthful looks,glowing skin and firmer facial muscles, but it also revitalizes your body from the inside out.How much time do these exercises require per day in order to achieve visible results and enviably youthful looks?Our instructor Savina recommends you exercise each day, or at least five times a week for the first three months, in order to strengthen the muscles andachieve the optimum effect. “After that, only 10, ideally 15 minutes of consistent exercise a day are enough to maintain this optimum state. I teach all mycourse participants in such a way that the exercises easily become a part of their everyday routine – just like brushing your teeth. Upon waking, you do twominutes’ worth of exercises, then the same upon applying your day-cream, then two more minutes while working at the computer, five more while watchingTV and a few minutes every evening when you clean your face.” (Of course, you’re free to do them all at once, too, if you prefer.) After the first threemonths, you only need to do them three times a week – or as the need arises. And another great tip: If you’re set for a hot date in the evening, take a couple ofminutes to do the Face Lifting exercise before you go out, and I assure you, you’ll look and feel positively radiant all evening!Rose Tran, a certified Hatha yoga instructor, created theYoga Facial Toningsystem and began teaching classes in 2002. Since then, men and women of allages rave about their improved appearance and the confidence their youthful looks give them. Through her study, focus, and passion, Rose developed acomprehensive facial exercise program that works to help reverse your face’s aging process. Pursuing her vision, Rose conducted extensive research with localand international physicians in the emerging fields of facial exercise programs, non-surgical face lifts, and reconstructive plastic surgery.This program includes a comprehensive group of easy to learn exercises which may also be tailored to individual appearance goals. The Yoga Facial Toningprogramalso provides information on improving facial circulation, skin care and nutrition – for an improved appearance and confidence.

YOGA FACIAL TONING–ELLE MAGAZINE APRIL 2009written by Petra Kocjančič

Even as a child I would often scrunch up my face, collecting a whole lot of tension in those wrinkles. My mother would always be reminding me to relax. Iwould try for a while to control my facial muscles and keep them relaxed – without success. It wasn’t until my first visit to the beautician for a full facial that Ifelt the tension beginning to melt away as she gently massaged it out of my facial muscles. After that massage, I felt as good as new again. Later, during yogaclasses, I could hardly wait to do the exercises for skin stimulation and facial relaxation; so when I found out there was finally a form of facial yoga available inmy country too (I live in

Slovenia), I made up my mind to enroll right away……Only to find that here there was no soothing relaxation while pulling funny faces accompanied by peaceful music. Instead, we were all subjected to a regimenof very specific (and quite difficult) exercises. Even hours after the first workshop I could still feel an ache in every muscle I had taxed more than it was usedto. Some of the ladies even complained of the kind of aching muscles only athletes can get after training. This is because, as I soon found,Yoga Facial Toning(YFT)is more like fitness training than yoga, as it works on the principle of encouraging the facial muscles to work by creating resistance. This not only firmsthe muscles, but also stimulates the glands, detoxifies the body, and revitalizes the internal organs. Although it can be strenuous, on the whole it has a relaxingeffect. The system was developed byRose Tran, an American teacher and certified yoga instructor, based on years of research and close cooperation with themedical profession, facial therapy specialists, plastic surgeons, and experts in the field of beauty alterations. There are to date only seven licensed instructorsfor the YFT method in the world, and Savina A. Ritter is at the moment the only one working in Europe.These exercises are designed to work your facial muscles, firming, smoothing, lifting and rejuvenating your face.Yoga Facial Toningis especially designed tostimulate the 57 (fifty-seven) muscles, which construct our face and neck. Thisyoga for the faceis a simple, non-invasive way to erase fine lines andwrinkles, reduce sagging skin and restore a radiant, youthful look to your face and complexion.The program is easy to learn and works for anyone who uses it, regardless of age, fitness level, gender or ethnicity. These highly specialized exercises lift, firmand tone all 57 muscles of the face and neck, literally turning back the hands of time and restoring a firm, smooth, glowing facial appearance.I wasn’t really in such a good phase of my life when I attended the course and rarely did my homework, although our instructor recommended we do most ofthe exercises we learned each week on a daily basis. Already during the course, I found I had begun to master the muscles in my forehead, which was startingto become less wrinkled. Still, when I saw the “before & after” photos, I was delighted. I had managed to bring back firmness and tone to a number of themuscles in my face, my skin was more radiant and my face looked just a little bit slimmer – and more attractive.Visibly turning back the clock:“Usingthe YFT system, this can be done without plastic surgery, simply through exercising (literally, not just figuratively) a bit of love for ourselves, with theaim of enhancing our inner beauty and letting it shine outwards. These exercises are empowering – particularly for women, placing at our fingertips the abilityto determine the image we show to the world, enabling us to take our fate into our own hands (as it should be), without fear of what the years may bring,” saysSavina, adding that there are many techniques and programs to help us relax our bodies, but if we don’t include the face as well, we risk all the tension we’veexcised gathering up there. “I’ve noticed that although there are many more people who are physically active or into sports these days, their facial muscles arenonetheless in a poor state.”The program alsostimulates and balances the functioning of the glands. “This precise exercise program has a direct and beneficial influence on thefunctioning of our glands, which plays a key role in the rejuvenation process, helps us to maintain our vitality and energy levels and ensures that our bodies arein optimum working condition. As an added bonus, Rose’s program also helps our bodies to detox and by stimulating both brain hemispheres at the same time,puts us in touch with our inner selves, enabling us to develop a higher level of awareness,” says our instructor – a fact that I can only confirm in view of theway I feel after every exercise session.An alternative to cosmetic surgery. A face-lift shortens the muscles to give lift to the face, and pulls the skin tight tolessen lines and wrinkles, but does nothing to tone and firm the muscles to give a lasting result.During the time when a muscle is “frozen” (as for example following a Botox treatment), the flow of nourishment is impeded, which only weakens it further.Nor do faces that have undergone such treatment look natural. The facial mimicry and even the sensation in the face are altered, whereas the only “side effect”of practicing Yoga Facial Toning is a firm, smooth, glowing facial appearance. When proper facial exercise involving the scalp, face and neck is started at anyage, the muscles still have the ability to be restored to good tone and give a firmer, younger appearance.“There are even exercises for fuller lips and nose-lifts, which, at the same time, enhance your entire well-being,” says Savina regarding the difference betweenthe invasive and the natural techniques, adding: “One of the greatest effects thatYoga Facial Toninghas is a deeper connection with your inner strength andpower-source.”Then there is also the price difference to consider: A six-week course (including a personalized approach, a handbook, before & after photographs and thecomposition of an individual follow-up exercise regime for each participant) will cost you only €250, which is less than a single Botox treatment, not to mentionsurgical face-lifts, which are in the range of from €3,000 to €5,000, at best.Even if you’re determined to go through with surgery, we’d still recommend doing the course beforehand, as the exercises will help increase the flow of bloodand nutrients to your muscles, ensuring less complications and a smaller chance of any of the procedures needing repetition. The exercises will also enhancepost-operative recovery and lessen the likelihood of you ending up with even more sagging skin than before.

The difference between an artificially “stretched” and “filled” face and a naturally glowing, healthy one is noticeable.

Who is theYoga Facial Toningprogram suitable for? The all-round beneficial effects of the program make it suitable for anyone, particularly those over theage of 30. It is highly recommended for everyone who has just completed a diet or is dieting with the aim of losing weight, as often after weight-loss, the facecan look tired, wilted and even ten years older – unless we give it the exercise it needs.YFTis also very beneficial as part of a post-natal care regimen, as wellas for all who have noticed signs of aging in their face and for all who would like to prevent such signs from showing up in the first place. The exercises alsohelp relieve problems with the jaw and facial nerves and muscles, and have even been used successfully (under clinical conditions) for rehabilitation followingstrokes or accidents. “I would also recommend them to all who want to increase their energy levels, who suffer from hormonal imbalances, skin diseases, andalso those who have undergone cosmetic surgery as well as those who occasionally or regularly have Botox treatments. Particularly for the latter, I feel, suchexercises are vitally important,” says Savina.Yoga Facial Toningexercises are a completely natural and health-enhancing method of rejuvenating your face. Not only does it give you more youthful looks,glowing skin and firmer facial muscles, but it also revitalizes your body from the inside out.How much time do these exercises require per day in order to achieve visible results and enviably youthful looks?Our instructor Savina recommends you exercise each day, or at least five times a week for the first three months, in order to strengthen the muscles andachieve the optimum effect. “After that, only 10, ideally 15 minutes of consistent exercise a day are enough to maintain this optimum state. I teach all mycourse participants in such a way that the exercises easily become a part of their everyday routine – just like brushing your teeth. Upon waking, you do twominutes’ worth of exercises, then the same upon applying your day-cream, then two more minutes while working at the computer, five more while watchingTV and a few minutes every evening when you clean your face.” (Of course, you’re free to do them all at once, too, if you prefer.) After the first threemonths, you only need to do them three times a week – or as the need arises. And another great tip: If you’re set for a hot date in the evening, take a couple ofminutes to do the Face Lifting exercise before you go out, and I assure you, you’ll look and feel positively radiant all evening!Rose Tran, a certified Hatha yoga instructor, created theYoga Facial Toningsystem and began teaching classes in 2002. Since then, men and women of allages rave about their improved appearance and the confidence their youthful looks give them. Through her study, focus, and passion, Rose developed acomprehensive facial exercise program that works to help reverse your face’s aging process. Pursuing her vision, Rose conducted extensive research with localand international physicians in the emerging fields of facial exercise programs, non-surgical face lifts, and reconstructive plastic surgery.This program includes a comprehensive group of easy to learn exercises which may also be tailored to individual appearance goals. The Yoga Facial Toningprogramalso provides information on improving facial circulation, skin care and nutrition – for an improved appearance and confidence.

RSS (originally RDF Site Summary, often dubbed Really Simple Syndication) is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works—such as blog entries, news headlines, audio, and video—in a standardized format.[2] An RSS document (which is called a “feed”, “web feed”,[3] or “channel”) includes full or summarized text, plus metadata such as publishing dates and authorship.

RSS feeds benefit publishers by letting them syndicate content automatically. A standardized XML file format allows the information to be published once and viewed by many different programs. They benefit readers who want to subscribe to timely updates from favorite websites or to aggregate feeds from many sites into one place.

RSS feeds can be read using software called an “RSS reader“, “feed reader”, or “aggregator“, which can be web-based, desktop-based, or mobile-device-based. The user subscribes to a feed by entering into the reader the feed’s URI or by clicking a feed icon in a web browser that initiates the subscription process. The RSS reader checks the user’s subscribed feeds regularly for new work, downloads any updates that it finds, and provides a user interface to monitor and read the feeds. RSS allows users to avoid manually inspecting all of the websites they are interested in, and instead subscribe to websites such that all new content is pushed onto their browsers when it becomes available.

RDF Site Summary, the first version of RSS, was created by Dan Libby and Ramanathan V. Guha at Netscape. It was released in March 1999 for use on the My.Netscape.Com portal. This version became known as RSS 0.9.[5] In July 1999, Dan Libby of Netscape produced a new version, RSS 0.91,[2] which simplified the format by removing RDF elements and incorporating elements from Dave Winer‘s scriptingNews syndication format.[6] Libby also renamed RSS Rich Site Summary and outlined further development of the format in a “futures document”.[7]

This would be Netscape’s last participation in RSS development for eight years. As RSS was being embraced by web publishers who wanted their feeds to be used on My.Netscape.Com and other early RSS portals, Netscape dropped RSS support from My.Netscape.Com in April 2001 during new owner AOL‘s restructuring of the company, also removing documentation and tools that supported the format.[8]

Two entities emerged to fill the void, with neither Netscape’s help nor approval: The RSS-DEV Working Group and Winer, whose UserLand Software had published some of the first publishing tools outside of Netscape that could read and write RSS.

Winer published a modified version of the RSS 0.91 specification on the UserLand website, covering how it was being used in his company’s products, and claimed copyright to the document.[9] A few months later, UserLand filed a U.S. trademark registration for RSS, but failed to respond to a USPTO trademark examiner’s request and the request was rejected in December 2001.[10]

The RSS-DEV Working Group, a project whose members included Guha and representatives of O’Reilly Media and Moreover, produced RSS 1.0 in December 2000.[11] This new version, which reclaimed the name RDF Site Summary from RSS 0.9, reintroduced support for RDF and added XML namespaces support, adopting elements from standard metadata vocabularies such as Dublin Core.

In December 2000, Winer released RSS 0.92[12] a minor set of changes aside from the introduction of the enclosure element, which permitted audio files to be carried in RSS feeds and helped spark podcasting. He also released drafts of RSS 0.93 and RSS 0.94 that were subsequently withdrawn.[13]

In September 2002, Winer released a major new version of the format, RSS 2.0, that redubbed its initials Really Simple Syndication. RSS 2.0 removed the type attribute added in the RSS 0.94 draft and added support for namespaces. To preserve backward compatibility with RSS 0.92, namespace support applies only to other content included within an RSS 2.0 feed, not the RSS 2.0 elements themselves.[14] (Although other standards such as Atom attempt to correct this limitation, RSS feeds are not aggregated with other content often enough to shift the popularity from RSS to other formats having full namespace support.)

Because neither Winer nor the RSS-DEV Working Group had Netscape’s involvement, they could not make an official claim on the RSS name or format. This has fueled ongoing controversy in the syndication development community as to which entity was the proper publisher of RSS.

One product of that contentious debate was the creation of an alternative syndication format, Atom, that began in June 2003.[15] The Atom syndication format, whose creation was in part motivated by a desire to get a clean start free of the issues surrounding RSS, has been adopted as IETF Proposed Standard RFC 4287.

In December 2005, the Microsoft Internet Explorer team[18] and Microsoft Outlook team[19] announced on their blogs that they were adopting the feed icon first used in the Mozilla Firefoxbrowser (). In February 2006, Opera Software followed suit.[20] This effectively made the orange square with white radio waves the industry standard for RSS and Atom feeds, replacing the large variety of icons and text that had been used previously to identify syndication data.

In January 2006, Rogers Cadenhead relaunched the RSS Advisory Board without Dave Winer’s participation, with a stated desire to continue the development of the RSS format and resolve ambiguities. In June 2007, the board revised their version of the specification to confirm that namespaces may extend core elements with namespace attributes, as Microsoft has done in Internet Explorer 7. According to their view, a difference of interpretation left publishers unsure of whether this was permitted or forbidden.

As RSS files are essentially XML formatted plain text, the RSS file itself is relatively easily read both by automated processes and by humans alike. An example file could have contents such as the following. This could be placed on any appropriate communication protocol for file retrieval, such as http or ftp, and reading software would use the information to present a neat display to the end user.

There are several different versions of RSS, falling into two major branches (RDF and 2.*).

The RDF (or RSS 1.*) branch includes the following versions:

RSS 0.90 was the original Netscape RSS version. This RSS was called RDF Site Summary, but was based on an early working draft of the RDF standard, and was not compatible with the final RDF Recommendation.

RSS 1.0 is an open format by the RSS-DEV Working Group, again standing for RDF Site Summary. RSS 1.0 is an RDF format like RSS 0.90, but not fully compatible with it, since 1.0 is based on the final RDF 1.0 Recommendation.

RSS 1.1 is also an open format and is intended to update and replace RSS 1.0. The specification is an independent draft not supported or endorsed in any way by the RSS-Dev Working Group or any other organization.

The RSS 2.* branch (initially UserLand, now Harvard) includes the following versions:

RSS 0.91 is the simplified RSS version released by Netscape, and also the version number of the simplified version originally championed by Dave Winer from Userland Software. The Netscape version was now called Rich Site Summary; this was no longer an RDF format, but was relatively easy to use.

RSS 0.92 through 0.94 are expansions of the RSS 0.91 format, which are mostly compatible with each other and with Winer’s version of RSS 0.91, but are not compatible with RSS 0.90.

RSS 2.0.1 has the internal version number 2.0. RSS 2.0.1 was proclaimed to be “frozen”, but still updated shortly after release without changing the version number. RSS now stood for Really Simple Syndication. The major change in this version is an explicit extension mechanism using XML namespaces.[21]

Later versions in each branch are backward-compatible with earlier versions (aside from non-conformant RDF syntax in 0.90), and both versions include properly documented extension mechanisms using XML Namespaces, either directly (in the 2.* branch) or through RDF (in the 1.* branch). Most syndication software supports both branches. “The Myth of RSS Compatibility”, an article written in 2004 by RSS critic and Atom advocate Mark Pilgrim, discusses RSS version compatibility issues in more detail.

The extension mechanisms make it possible for each branch to track innovations in the other. For example, the RSS 2.* branch was the first to support enclosures, making it the current leading choice for podcasting, and as of 2005[update] is the format supported for that use by iTunes and other podcasting software; however, an enclosure extension is now available for the RSS 1.* branch, mod_enclosure. Likewise, the RSS 2.* core specification does not support providing full-text in addition to a synopsis, but the RSS 1.* markup can be (and often is) used as an extension. There are also several common outside extension packages available, including a new proposal from Microsoft for use in Internet Explorer 7.

The most serious compatibility problem is with HTML markup. Userland’s RSS reader—generally considered as the reference implementation—did not originally filter out HTML markup from feeds. As a result, publishers began placing HTML markup into the titles and descriptions of items in their RSS feeds. This behavior has become expected of readers, to the point of becoming a de facto standard,[citation needed] though there is still some inconsistency in how software handles this markup, particularly in titles. The RSS 2.0 specification was later updated to include examples of entity-encoded HTML; however, all prior plain text usages remain valid.

As of January 2007[update], tracking data from http://www.syndic8.com indicates that the three main versions of RSS in current use are 0.91, 1.0, and 2.0. Of these, RSS 0.91 accounts for 13 percent of worldwide RSS usage and RSS 2.0 for 67 percent, while RSS 1.0 has a 17 percent share.[22] These figures, however, do not include usage of the rival web feed format Atom. As of August 2008[update], the syndic8.com website is indexing 546,069 total feeds, of which 86,496 were some dialect of Atom and 438,102 were some dialect of RSS.[23]

The primary objective of all RSS modules is to extend the basic XML schema established for more robust syndication of content. This inherently allows for more diverse, yet standardized, transactions without modifying the core RSS specification.

To accomplish this extension, a tightly controlled vocabulary (in the RSS world, “module”; in the XML world, “schema”) is declared through an XML namespace to give names to concepts and relationships between those concepts.

Some RSS 2.0 modules with established namespaces are:

Although the number of items in an RSS channel are theoretically not limited, some news aggregators do not support RSS files larger than 150KB (if all elements are provided on a new line, this size corresponds to approx. 2,800 lines).[24] For example, applications that rely on the Common Feed List of Windows might handle such files as if they were corrupt, and not open them. Interoperability can be maximized by keeping the file size under this limit.

Both RSS and Atom are widely supported in all major consumer feed readers. RSS has gained widespread distribution through feed reader implementations earlier than Atom, which led to higher popularity. However, Atom has several advantages over RSS, such as less restrictive licensing, IANA registered MIME type, an XML namespace, support for relative URIs, and Relax NG support.[25] Technically, Atom should be considered the more advanced syndication format between the two.[26]

The following table summarizes those RSS elements that have their equivalents in Atom.